Hydrant-thawing apparatus.



G. H. MILLER.

HYDRANT THAWING APPARATUS. APPLIoATIoN FILED AUG. 2s, 1913.

1,120,837. Patented Dec. i5, 1914.

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CHARLES H. MILLER, OF BENNINGTON, VERMONT.

HYDBANT-THAWING APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 15, 19,14.

Application filed August 2G, 1913. Serial No. 786,744.

T0 all LU/0m it may concern Be it known that I, CHARLES I-I. MILLER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Bennington, Bennington county, and State of Vermont, have invented and discovered certain new and useful Improvements in I-Iydrant-Thawing Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

My said invention consists in certain improvements in the details of construction of an apparatus for thawing fire hydrants, whereby a very eliicient apparatus for the purpose is provided and one that can accomplish the work very expeditiously, all as will be hereinafter more fully described and claimed.

Referring to the accompanying drawing, which is made a part hereof and on which similar reference characters indicate similar parts, Figure 1 is a view showing a lire hydrant in elevation, a lire engine being indicated in dotted lines showing an attachment with a hose connecting the boiler thereof to my thawing apparatus, and Fig. 2 a detail sectional view of the hydrant showing the thawing apparatus.

In said drawings the portions marked A represent the casing of the hydrant, B the valve stem for turning on and cutting oli' the water from the main, and C the thawing attachment.

The hydrant A and the valve stem B are, or may be, of any improved construction, the hydrant being provided with hose attaching nipples a and the valve stem with an angular upper end b for the attachment of a turning handle, or wheel, as is usual.

The thawing attachment C is arranged as follows: The hydrant casing A is formed with a perforation near its upper end in which is mounted a T-fitting 10, the outer end of which is adapted to have a hose such as Il, as indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 1, attached thereto and leading from the boilerl of the engine. From oneside of the 'l' within the hydrant a branch pipe 11 extends toward the top and from the other side a branch'pipe 12 extends toward the bottom of the hydrant. Said pipes 11 and 12 are bent at an angle with their discharge ends in close proximity to the valve stem B and arranged to discharge toward the upper and lower ends of the hydrant. In the 0pposite side of the casing I provide an aperture closed by screw-plug 15 by which the products of condensation may be allowed to escape from the hydrant casing.-

In use, the fireman, when discovering that the hydrant which it is desired to use is frozen, will quickly connect the hose I-I with the fitting 10 and open a valve 16 at the connection of the hose with the engine boiler when the steam from the boiler will be forcibly discharged into the hydrant from the discharge ends of the branches 11 and 12 of the thawing device. The steam coming directly from the boiler and being forced into the opposite ends of the casing will act very rapidly upon the ice or frost in the apparatus and directly upon the points where freezing usually occurs, that is, around the valve stem where it extends through the top of the casing and at its lower connection with the valve, or the valve casing. By this means the thawing is done very quickly as the steam is applied directly to the points' where the freezing usually occurs, and is therefore not wasted, and as every moment of time that can be saved in getting the apparatus ready for use is eX- tremely valuable, this feature is of great importance.

Having thus fully described my said invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

, A hydrant thawing apparatus comprising the hydrant casing, a valve stem in said casing, a T-itting mounted in the side of said hydrant casing with its outer end adapted for attachment with a hose leading from a boiler of a steam engine, the inner end of said fitting being arranged with its branches extending one upward and the other downward, a pipe connected with the upper branch extending upwardly into the top of the hydrant and inwardly into close relation with the valve stem and having an open end arranged to discharge against said valve stem, another pipe connected with the lower branch of said T-iitting extending downwardly with its lower end open and bent inwardly to discharge against the valve stem at the lower end of the hydrant, Wherethis 14th day of August, A. D. nineteen by live steam may be discharged from the hundred and thirteen. end of said pipes directly against said valve his stem at the upper and lower ends of said CHARLES X H- MILLER- [L` S] 5 hydrant, respectively, substantially as set mark forth. Witnesses z In Witness whereof, I have hereunto set GEO. E. DONNELLY, my hand and seal at Bennington, Vermont BETSEY SIBLEY DONNELLY.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner -of Patents,

Washington, D. G. 

